


One Last Cup of Coffee Before you Go

by Mouse9



Category: Marvel
Genre: Gen, community: troupe_bingo
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-05-01
Updated: 2013-05-01
Packaged: 2017-12-10 01:32:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,143
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/780229
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mouse9/pseuds/Mouse9
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Coffee shops are where people go to wait and relax.   Steve just can't quite figure out why he's there.</p>
            </blockquote>





	One Last Cup of Coffee Before you Go

**Author's Note:**

> The character death mentioned is actually canon (according to the comics) This satisfies the space: Coffee Shop AU

Captain Steve Rogers blinked confusingly at the warm, comfortable coffee shop he was sitting in.  In the corner was a fireplace roaring, thick, comfy chairs and couches scattered around, warm wooden tables all holding large mugs of coffee and other patrons murmuring to each other quietly or sitting alone sipping contemplatively on their drink.

Normally, it would be the perfect place to catch alone time and work on a sketch… had he not just a heartbeat ago been on the steps of the New York courthouse in shackles surrounded by police officers.

Another confused blink and he looked down at his clothing. His favorite soft leather jacket, blue and white checked button down and khaki pants.

 

He’d been wearing his uniform just a second ago.

 

He frowned, trying to remember what had happened.  Had he been possessed by someone again?  Broken free of the police on the steps of the courthouse and gone on a rampage only to wake up here. 

Him going rogue, even if possessed, wouldn’t bold well for his theory that secret identities wouldn’t hurt anyone and in fact save the superhero.  Damn Tony and his stupid superhero registration law.

 

He thought harder, remembering the muggy weather, the bite of cold metal against his wrists, the crowd in front of him, once so each to thank him now divided in their support.  He remembered a man stepping from the crowd and hearing a “pop” of a gunshot.  Then…

“What can I get for you?”  A perky voice interrupted.  He looked up seeing the smiling blond from his favorite outdoor café standing over him.

“I think you’re in the wrong place.”  He stated.  Her smile widened. 

“I’m exactly where I’m supposed to be.  Can I get you something while you wait?”

He looked around the cozy room before looking back up at her.  “Where am I?”

The smile didn’t waver.  “Coffee shop.”

“No.  I mean where am I?  I don’t recognize this place and not even less than a minute ago I was standing on the steps of the New York City courthouse.”

“You must run fast then because you just came in here.”  The sparkle in her eye belied the solemnness of her voice. 

“No…I…” he climbed to his feet.  “I’m not supposed to be here.  I have to go.”

“I’m afraid you can’t do that.”  She called out but not moving as he pushed passed her and strode towards the front door.  He pulled the door opened and stepped outside…

 

Only to find himself facing the front counter of the coffee shop. 

 

“What the…” turning, she walked back outside again…

And found himself facing the front counter of the coffee shop.  The blond server gave him a sad smile. 

“Why can’t I leave here?”  He stepped towards her threatening, his fists clenching.  She didn’t move.  “What is going on?  Is this some sort of Kree trick?  The Skrulls?  A new alien we haven’t met yet?”

She lifted her chin when he approached her.  “No.  This is no trick.”  Her voice was calming and level.  “I’m afraid this is very real.”

“Lady if this was real, I’d be able to walk out of that door.”  He snapped.  “Now tell me who you work for and why you look exactly like the waitress that works at that café on 32nd street?”

“I look like Beth, that’s her name by the way, because you are attracted to her.  I assumed this form because it is pleasing and comforting to you.”

He stepped away from her.  “Assumed…wait, she isn’t dead, is she?”

“Of course not, we would never kill anyone superfluously.  I have merely taken her image, not her body.  My own image is…hard for people to see.”

“Lady I’ve seen some ugly creatures in my life, I doubt your real form is going to shock me.”

She just smiled.  “As for who I work for,” she raised her hand and waved to around her.  “I work here.  Taking care of the customers that come in for a cup.”

“Yes but where is here?”  He asked. 

“It’s merely a place to sit and wait.”

“Wait for what?”

Another smile. 

“Missy, I’m getting tired of your evasion of my questions real quick.  Now sooner or later my friends…well the Avengers will figure out I’m gone and come looking for me.”  He still wasn’t have convinced that he’d been possessed and if the Avengers did come, it would be to capture him and take him back to…

He winced, hearing a loud “pop” followed by screams.  He was suddenly cold.  Her arms went around his shoulders and she led him back to the table, sitting him down. 

“Don’t think on it,” she instructed.  “The memories will come in time.  I’ll bring you a cup of coffee.”

 

Steve put his head in his hands, his eyes squeezed shut.  He remembered the muggy weather; extra warm for a fall day the humidity sticking to his skin as he walked down the steps of the courthouse.  The air conditioner had been on inside so the metal handcuffs were cold against his suddenly warm wrists.  He remembered the signs in the crowd of people in front of him, some carrying opposing signs, some hailing him as a hero, the others calling him a vigilante.  He remembered Carol standing off to the side, watching him descend the stairs, Reed Richards standing next to her.  He remembered a man stepping out of the crowd, a flash, the loud sound, screams…

A cup of coffee was placed before him and he lifted his head from his hands.

“Drink up.  It’ll warm you.”  She said.  He looked at her, then the cup before pushing it away.

“I’m not eating or drinking anything you give me. And when I get out of here, you and your kind are going to regret it.  I will stop you.”

She sat down across from him.  “Steve, there is nothing to stop.”

“You don’t know me.”  His hands were flat against the table.  “Stop talking to me as if you do.”

Her patient smile never wavered.  “I’m not your enemy.  What is the last thing you remember?”

He frowned in concentration.  “Walking down the steps of the court house after my first day of trial.  There was a crowd of people.”

She nodded.  “Go on.”

“Someone stepped from the crowd.  I heard a loud pop and then screaming.”

“And then?”

“Then I’m here.  Wherever here is.”

“I told you, here is a place for people to sit and wait.”

“Sit and wait for what?”  He looked around at the others in the coffee shop.  “I don’t recognize anyone else here, there’s nobody of importance, and they’re all different ages.  What could you possibly want them for?”

“Everyone in here is important.”  She answered.  “And don’t want anything from them.  They are all here for the same reason; waiting until it is time for them to go.”

“Go where?”

Meg shrugged.  “We don’t know.”

“You don’t know?  You have these people in a holding pen and you don’t know where they go?”

“Arthur?”

Steve stopped talking, and turned his head.  The dark haired beauty passed him, walking towards an older man sitting in a chair in front of the fireplace.  He looked up, his eyes going wide when he spotted her.

“Ella?”  He rasped, struggling to climb from the chair.

 The woman placed a hand on his arm.  “Easy my love.  Take your time.  I’ve come to take you home.”

Steve looked from the couple to Beth.  The young blond was watching, her blue eyes wet with unshed tears.  Ella had helped the older man up and carefully she led him towards the door.  Steve and Beth watched in silence as the couple walked slowly towards the exit.  As they neared the door, the light from the glass grew brighter.  Ella stopped a moment, to pull the door open, letting in a bright burst of light.  Steve squinted against it raising his arm to shade his vision.  Standing in the door way was the same dark aired women he’d seen but in place of the older man stood a young, sandy haired gentleman about the same age.  They both stepped through the door, letting it shut behind them and the light was gone.

Steve stared speechless.  He turned back to Beth.

“I’m-I’m dead, aren’t I?”

Beth nodded slowly.  “I’m afraid so.”

 

 

* * *

 

 

He was sketching, the empty coffee cup at his elbow.  Beth occasionally came by and refilled his cup but mostly he didn’t notice.  He had no idea how long he’d been sitting at the coffee shop; it could’ve been hours, it could’ve been days.  Occasionally the door would open and someone would come in to pick up one of the shop’s customers. Once, the door opened and a man in a black suit stepped in calling out someone’s name. From the way Beth stepped in front of the other customers and how the man whose name was called began yelling, Steve assumed he wasn’t going someplace light and peaceful.  It might have also had something to do with it looking almost night as the two left the shop.

 Whenever he heard Beth hurry past his table, he knew it was because someone else had shown up at the shop confused and without coffee.

The blond server dropped into the chair across from her looking at the drawing.  “That’s very nice.”

He glanced up at her for a moment before going back to the drawing. “I don’t want to be dead.”

“Nobody does.”

“Honestly, I have too many things I want to see, people to help to be dead.”

She nodded.  “You’ll have to trust that someone else will take over for you now.”

He looked up again, fixing her with a gaze.  “Have you seen the people I’ve befriended since I was revived?  Befriended, yes.  Trust to help people, not so much.”

She met his gaze.  “There is nobody you would trust to take over the mantle of Captain America?”

His eyes dropped.  “Maybe Bucky because I think it would help him.  But I’m not sure he would agree to do that.”

“Never underestimate the people who love you, Steve.”

He was silent for a moment, concentrating on the sketch before he spoke again. “Is this purgatory?”

“The boss doesn’t like to call it that.” 

“What would he prefer it be called?”

She grinned.  “We agreed on Coffee for the Soul as the shop name a while back.”

He shrugged.  “Nice.  So how long am I going to be stuck here?”

“I don’t know.”  She answered.  “Each person is different.

“This isn’t exactly how the sisters at the orphanage told us how Purgatory looked.”

“We change with the times.”  Beth teased.  “Coffee shops are very in right now.” 

His lip quirked up as he shaded the figure.  “How long have you been here?”

She thought about it.  “As long as I can remember.  If there was a time before working here, I don’t remember.”

“Are you an angel?”

She laughed as she stood up.  “Oh no, I just serve coffee while people wait.”  She touched his hand.  “But thank you for saying that.”  She touched his hand briefly.  “I hope you don’t have to wait long, Steve.”

“Yeah, me too.”

 

 

* * *

 

The door to the coffee shop had opened and closed so many times since he’d first arrived that he didn’t even bother looking up anymore.  He just continued drawing, enjoying the time he had now to actually finish a portrait.  He didn’t glance up at the person who dropped into the chair across from him until he heard her voice.

“Hello soldier.”

Steve’s head lifted, the pencil dropping form his nerveless fingers when he recognized Peggy Carter sitting across from him, smiling happily. 

“You didn’t really think you could avoid me forever.” 

“Peggy.”  The brunette across from him looked exactly as she did the last time he saw her, right before he jumped onto the plane to stop the Red Skull.  She leaned towards him, her chin resting on her hand. 

“We have a date.  You’re late.”

“I’m sorry, I tried…”

Her laughter tinkled between them.  “I’ll tell you what Steve.  You take me dancing like you promised and we’ll call it even.”

He smiled.  “I’ve taken lessons.”

“Well then let’s see what you’ve got soldier.”  She stood up and held out a hand.  “Are you ready?”

He glanced behind her to Beth who was leaning against the counter watching the pair.  Her ever present smile was on her lips and her eyes were wet.  She lifted a hand in farewell.  He gave her a nod as he stood up and then took Peggy’s hand. 

“Let’s go.”

They walked towards the door.  He pulled it open and ushered Peggy through before stepping into the bright light, allowing the door to close behind him.

 


End file.
